Netflix’s latest Stranger Things installment will clarify the series finale.

Throughout the final season of Stranger Things, fans often echoed the sentiment: “It makes sense if you’ve seen the play.” That play is Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the hit series that premiered in London’s West End in 2023 and is now on Broadway. Recently, it was announced that a performance of the stage play will be filmed for release on Netflix.

While a specific release date hasn’t been set, filming is scheduled to occur from February 10 to 14, featuring the original Broadway cast. This includes Louis McCartney as Henry Creel (aka Vecna), Gabrielle Nevaeh as Patty Newby, T.R. Knight as Victor Creel (Henry’s father), and Alex Breaux as Dr. Brenner, a character portrayed by Matthew Modine in the series.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow centers on Henry Creel as a high school student in Hawkins, where he attends school alongside Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado (who later becomes Joyce Byers). The narrative delves into Henry’s burgeoning psychic abilities, which catch the attention of Dr. Brenner. It also uncovers the origins of Henry’s powers—an aspect touched upon in the show’s final season but never fully detailed. Notably, the play reveals that Henry was classmates with Joyce and Hopper, a detail that the final season of Stranger Things overlooked.

For those who watched season 5 and missed the chance to catch The First Shadow in London or New York, you might have turned to recaps to grasp certain elements of the series finale. While knowing the play wasn’t essential to follow the season, it certainly provided clarity on Vecna’s origins and the psychic realm where he traps his victims. With The First Shadow making its way to Netflix, fans will soon have the opportunity to explore that backstory firsthand.